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Highlights of June 2013 Issue

NEXCOM Names
Bower DMM

 VIRGINIA BEACH — The Navy Exchange Service
Command (NEXCOM)
announced John Bower as the
new divisional merchandise
manager (DMM) responsible
for several of its Merchandise
Group 1 (MG1) categories, including
jewelry (fine, consignment
and costume), watches,
sunglasses, handbags and accessories. ...

AAFES Names
Skibo SVP,
Business
Development

 DALLAS — The Army & Air Force Exchange
Service (AAFES)
named Dr. James E. “Jim” Skibo
senior vice president (SVP) of
Business Development, effective
May 10. In early May, the
exchange service noted that the SVP Europe Region position
is being “repurposed to the new SVP Business Development,”
although for now, the two positions will exist simutaneously,
“commensurate with current mission requirements.” ...

DeCA Names Comer Program
Executive Officer

 FORT LEE — The Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) named
Robert E. Comer program executive officer (PEO),
effective April 21. He had been acting PEO since the
Program Management Division was created within the
Information Technology (IT) Directorate
during DeCA's fall 2012 headquarters
organizational refinement. ...

Military Exchanges' Price Policies
More than a Match for Online Retailers

 VIRGINIA BEACH — With a growing percentage of shoppers checking
online sources to see if they can find a better price
for a product they were considering buying, the military
exchanges continue to build awareness of their price
matching policies.

Most recently Navy Exchange Service Command
(NEXCOM) voiced its commitment to “offering its
customers low prices every day.”

As part of that pledge, the Navy Exchange has made
a significant change to its Price Match Policy. The NEX
will now match prices to Walmart.com, Target.com,
Amazon.com, BestBuy.com, Sears.com, ToysRUs.com
and BabiesRUs.com. ...

Military Exchanges' Price Policies
More than a Match for Online Retailers

 QUANTICO — On both the Marine Corps Community Services
(MCCS) and MyMCX.com websites,
the Marine Corps Exchange (MCX) offers a price
match guarantee on any competitor's current
advertised prices on any identical items.

According to MCX Branch Head, Logistics
and Corporate Communications Jennifer Ide, “In
an effort to deliver a branded service experience,
for over a year, MCX has been empowering associates
to do what it takes to take care of the
customer they are helping. If that means honoring
a price match to an Internet price, then that
is what we do. The only exceptions are matching
to auction websites or if the items are refurbished, used, etc. Find a lower
price and we'll match it. ...

Military Resale Supports
Spouses, Family Members with
Employment Opportunities

The exchange services and the Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA)
continue to make hiring military spouses a priority through initiatives
and programs that provide everything from employment assistance and
transfer opportunities, to skills-based education, training and other career
development opportunities.

Typically, about 24 to 29 percent of the resale workforce consists of
military spouses, with dependents sometimes representing up to 40 percent
of the workforce. ...

From electronics components to new furniture
and cookware, Army & Air Force Exchange
Service (AAFES) stores offer customers just
the right merchandise to turn any dwelling — inside
or outside the gate — into a “real” home during this
festive season.

“As our customers make plans to entertain for
the holidays, there are several areas of the home they
frequently purchase for,” McKinley noted. “Sleeping
accommodations are usually one of the first things to
come to mind, and a good mattress is a great place
to start.”

McKinley said that AAFES incorporates “lowest-price-of-the-season” sales and often offers gifts with
the purchase of bedding items, such as Keurig single-
serve coffee machines, televisions, digital cameras,
and tablets. ...

Scott Meyer, the Navy Exchange Service Command
(NEXCOM) divisional merchandise manager
(DMM), Consumer Electronics, said that
key promotions for the second half of fiscal 2013 start
with NEXCOM's two-week Sight and Sound event in
mid-September, and include the popular “Navy Blue
Weekend,” better known throughout U.S. retail as the
weekend including “Black Friday” on Nov. 29.

NEXCOM also provides several promotional
periods of zero-percent financing for computers,
cameras, televisions, and home theater systems. One
recent promotion, held May 15-28, allowed customers
who purchased an individual computer, TV, home
theater system or camera bundle valued at $699 or
above using a Military Star Card to receive a no-downpayment
option, with no interest and no payments
for 18 months.

“Most product-specific promotions are
initiated by the manufacturer and typically
include a bundle discount when an
extra lens is purchased at the same time
with a DSLR camera, or, for example, a
'free-with-purchase' incentive for a tablet
purchase,” Meyer noted. “And, of course,
some of the best promotions happen when
the manufacturer decides to lower price
points either through limited-time 'instant
rebates' or by directly reducing our product
costs.” ...

“Our brokers play a key role in our
store locations. They are assisting
customers in making selections by
way of offering product knowledge
with in-store demonstrations during
key selling times, setting up displays,
and in general, assisting our
locations and associates to make
sure that our customers' shopping
experience is more enjoyable.”— NEXCOM Divisional
Merchandise Manager, Consumer Electronics, Scott Meyer

From Peanut Butter Santas to new types of Peeps,
novelties and refinements on gourmet candy
bags, luxury gift boxes and bars, there is always
something new and enticing for patrons of the Navy
Exchange Service Command (NEXCOM) when it
comes to holiday candy.

NEXCOM begins placing orders for holiday candy
during the March to May time frame, and among the
trends Buyer Lorel Taylor is seeing are “a lot of contemporary
packaging concepts, i.e., stripes, polka-dots
and brighter colors than the traditional red and green.”

Taylor, who handles Candy, Nuts and Seasonal
Gifts, said most of the exchange's major vendors are
providing giftable items within the candy segment,
such as extra-large offerings which include 5-lb. Hershey's
bars, 2-lb. Reese's 2-packs, and 2-lb. York Peppermint
Patty giftable candies. ...

“Focus on the strong growth segments and new pack
types, and on items that are multi-functional — both
giftable, and for personal consumption — which
lend themselves to repeat purchases in season.”— NEXCOM Buyer Candy, Nuts and Seasonal Gifts Lorel Taylor

The importance of establishing a properly stocked and merchandised
Back-To-School (BTS) assortment is a key element
for the Army & Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES)
in its efforts to increase foot traffic and drive potential new
business. To optimize this opportunity, AAFES Stationery and
School Supplies Buyer Melissa Mick said the exchange service's
strategy for BTS is to create a “one-stop” shopping experience
that can impact other categories as well.

“We instruct store personnel to place all BTS stationery
and office supply displays in one location at the
front of the store,” Mick said. “We also instruct
them to cross-merchandise additional categories
of products within this location such as thumb
drives, laptop cases, hand sanitizers, storage bags
and facial tissue, to name a few. This strategy not only lets the customer know we are in the BTS business, it also
helps drive 'add-on' sales.” ...

The Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) continues
to play an important role in encouraging sustainable
healthy lifestyles among the military community. That
effort, said Janet Berry — one of the agency's two buyers
between whom Health and Beauty Care (HBC) category
duties are divided — involves several promotions tied to
healthy eating initiatives, as well as working alongside
programs such as the Healthy Base Initiative (HBI) and
Operation Live Well, which are designed to improve the
health and wellness of servicemembers and their families.

“As part of that community, we are personally charged
with serving our patrons by ensuring their commissary
benefit includes an abundance of fruits and vegetables,
tasty whole-grain choices, lean sources of protein including
meat, poultry, fish and seafood, low-fat and fat-free
dairy, plus diet, sugar-free, gluten-free and organic versions
of most major foods,” Berry said. “By doing that,
we help our patrons' journey to better health.”

As a member of HBI's core working group, DeCA
will be working with other core members such as the
Department of Defense Education Activity
(DoDEA), the exchanges, health affairs
and DoD's Military Community & Family
Policy's (MCFP) Office of Military Community
Outreach and Resale Activities and
Nonappropriated Fund Policy Office to
support HBI's ultimate goal of creating an
environment in the military community that
encourages sustainable healthy lifestyles. ...

Wounded Warriors, Patrons Enjoy Monster Thrills

 FORT GORDON, Ga. — Vaughn Gittin Jr., a Monster Energy ambassador and a
professional “drifter” who currently competes in the Formula D
series in his 2013 Monster Energy Nitto Tire Ford Racing Mustang
RTR, traveled here on May 12 to delight troops and their families
with one of his signature “Smokeshows.”

AAFES Talks 'Economic
Opportunities' with Dallas Mayor

 DALLAS — The Exchange has been in the spotlight in Texas recently, particularly in Dallas
and San Antonio, where local officials and media have taken notice of the Army
& Air Force Exchange Service's (AAFES) significance to local hiring and business.

Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings (left) and Michael Immler, senior vice
president (SVP) of AAFES's Strategic Plans and Partnerships Directorate, discussed
the Exchange's impact on economic development opportunities at a City of Dallas
“Grow South” event. The South Dallas revitalization initiative is currently entering its
second year, with a focus on developing economic business opportunities that deliver
a return on investment
(ROI). ...

Country Music Star Bryan
'Wows' NEXCOM Patrons

 NAS OCEANA, Va.
More than 1,000 fans turned out at the Navy Exchange here to
meet country music star Luke Bryan, and hopefully get his
autograph during his appearance in the store, May 17....